Kielbasa in a crock pot with apple jelly and polish spicy mustard...serve with rye bread. So easy and so tasty!

Game night. Does that mean they should be handheld appetizers?

Lumpia (Filipino egg rolls). To make it easier, buy cole slaw mix. I use ground turkey and egg roll wrappers. Alternatively, taquitos.

Everyone loved my cranberry and brie bites on New Year's eve. Mine were made with crescent sheets and didn't have nuts, but I decided I would do puff pastry next time. I assume it's even better that way. Sounds like phyllo cups would also work

Use slider buns and make "crabby patties". This is by far, my favoritest ever, crab cake recipe. Just enough binder to hold it together.

What kind of game night is it? Watching a sports game, playing games like cards or something, or something else?

Cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and broiled.

Smoked oysters wrapped in bacon and broiled.

I also like crab cakes, oysters, and egg rolls.

Beesneeds, playing games, chit chatting and eating.

DD made these for a dinner party appetizer and tells me they were very easy to make, and everyone raved about them. Not a one left, and so she made us some the next evening to try. Delicious and not one left between us, either!!! 😉

Ok, so maybe not so much on messier finger foods then. If you are playing games, you probably don't want to use a lot of table space for eating or messing up the games with food fingers. But finger or tea sandwiches and cakes can be nice for around the table. Sliders can be good, but skip the messier/gooier/greasier ones. If you have the warmers, you could do a flight of soups and sandwiches. Snack mixes that don't leave gunk on the fingers. Warm sausages are good, maybe cut them into bite sizes- meatballs in sauces are good too. Use toothpicks or small forks on bites so fingers or full utensils aren't needed so much. Cheese, meats, veggies, fruit, pickled goods, deviled eggs, and breads/crackers/chips are all good and easy for small plates and easy eating.

I think it’s chloebud who posted these, and I’ve made them several times:

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/crab-cake-bites/f5b45e41-32bb-465e-a617-953abf3b3c4a

But, my very favorite appetizer is Half-Baked Harvest’s Proscuitto Wrapped Baked Brie. I’ve made it several times now, last time for our Christmas dinner appetizer. Fantastic!

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/prosciutto-wrapped-baked-brie/

Just thinking about this one, too. I haven’t made it myself but it was served at a party. It was also served warm, not cold.

https://inspiredbycharm.com/out-of-this-world-corn-dip/

Also, this one’s a huge favorite and so easy. I usually double the ingredients.

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1 jar (5 oz.) Kraft Old English Cheese Spread

2 green onions, chopped

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles, drained (such as TJ’s or Ortega)

Melt cheeses together in microwave. Stir well and mix in onions and chiles. Zap again in microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir again and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Lynn mentioned Half Baked Harvest. She has some tasty looking appies! I was eyeing this not long ago.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/street-corn-dip/

I cater for my husbands work a fair amount. There are about 40 men and the Bacon Bites recipe is the most requested. I'm always happy to give it out since it's so easy to make. I use Costco's thick cut bacon and bake it longer so mine are darker than the pic.

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/bacon-bites-recipe

“I think it’s chloebud who posted these…”

food, I don’t think it was me but those sound good!

These are SO good!

chloebud- You’re right, just looksd at it and it was olychick! Must be thinking of somethjng else…

Olive poppers are my all time favorite one bite appetizer. I use any kind of olive and differentiate them by the seeds on the outside. I don’t cover the outside with sesame or poppy or black sesame seeds, just sprinkle a few on top. Besides pimento stuffed green olives, I use black olives or garlic stuffed green, or kalamata stuffed with cream cheese. I seldom have colossal size kalamata to stuff, so I partially split two smaller ones and smoosh them around a little cream cheese.

You can make these ahead and bake at the last minute or bake ahead and just reheat for a few min. Good warm or room temp.https://www.tuesdayrecipe.com/recipe-archives/appetizers/olive-poppers/

I don't make it often but I like fried calamari. I recently bought some giant calamari rings frozen at Walmart and will try those soon. I looked and the rings are a bit bigger than the ones I usually buy. Definitely not apex predator size.

Of course I'm happy to chow down on tostitos scoops and salsa!

I really like this one but I'm not a fan of the aftertaste of the goat cheese, so I'd probaby make it next time with just whipped cream cheese: https://www.thecreativebite.com/blueberry-balsamic-goat-cheese-appetizer/

This is really good! I serve it on crackers.

Baked Caramelized Onion Spread

https://savoringtimeinthekitchen.blogspot.com/search?q=onion+spread

One of my other favorite appetizers is not only very quick and easy, but everyone loves it. Simple: just open the Boursin cheese package, place it in a small, pretty bowl, spread the fig crackers around it on a plate, add a couple of knives and enjoy! My only warning is that if you’re serving this to four or more people, those crackers go very quickly! I always make a point to keep two boxes in my pantry.

Lynn, I've never tried the fig and olive. I was so disappointed last year to learn they discontinued the Pistachio Pomegranate Crisps.

“Olive poppers are my all time favorite one bite appetizer.”

Those sound really good!

I’ve been enjoying these from TJ’s. I do love Castelvetrano olives.

I also love this ... can cut into bite sized pieces for an appetizer...

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/mushroom-black-truffle-flatbread-090538

Annie, I can buy a blueberry and goat cheese log at Aldi's. They are delicious. A little different in flavors, though, the one at Aldi's has a vanilla flavoring to it.

I really want to try a lot of these but then I remembered everyone else doesn't eat bell peppers. It upsets their stomaches. Then the one friend doesn't like olives. I may make some of them anyway, later, just for me. ( :

Annie, this one’s not bad either for an appie.

what great suggestions!

That feta pistachio honey one sounds amazing in particular.

I love the boursin and the fig crackers. So interesting.

And Annie, the TJ flatbread - do you warm it up or just serve as is cut up?

We have a pot luck thing tomorrow and if we go I'm going to consider these for sure.

Annie, I’ve been eating that TJ’s black truffle flatbread in place of regular pizza ever since I had ”the” Covid way back when and tomato based pizza sauce started tasting bad to me. I love it!

The Bacon Bites recipe sounds really good - but Kevin will not eat bacon or pork 😞. I would still like to make that recipe for myself, however. I would use whole wheat bread that I make myself instead of soft white bread, which we never have, except for teleras or bolillos.

salonva, it's frozen so you have to bake it first...I prefer it hot.

I've also made these and they're a big seller: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/mushroom-garlic-cream-tartlets/0d944d80-be3f-4ba3-b8b6-2d0490f5e194

kathsgrdn if you want to make olive poppers for those who like olives, you could easily make a few for the non-olive eater - maybe a cube of ham inside, or a piece of roasted garlic, or a little chunk of dill pickle...anything that goes with cheddar cheese would work.

How much effort do you want to put in? For minimal effort, I would make a few dips and call it done. Hot Spinach artichoke dip, rotel dip, sausage dip. I make buffalo chicken dip eggrolls that are always a big hit. They are more fiddly though, since you have to roll and fry the eggrolls. I guess you could air fry the, though I have never tried it.

For a little more effort, I make mushrooms stuffed with sausage (breakfast and Italian mixed) green onions, jalapeños, the mushroom stems, all cooked together with breadcrumbs. boursin cheese and parmesan cheese. Stuffed and baked until the mushrooms are cooked through. SO good.

I'll add this one to the meta thread...

and checking the meta thread, I came across this oldie:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2517245/do-you-have-a-favorite-appetizer-you-would-like-to-share

Amylou, I don't mind something envolved since I haven't been able to really cook much since early October. Before that I was on a long trip, where I didn't cook or bake also.

Olychick, olive poppers are very popular with my family as well....although we call them baked martinis!! 🤗

A local bistro used to have fried olives as an appetizer. They were killer and we always started with an order of these but a relocation and a partial change of ownership and they were discontinued. The TJ's olive bites do not come anywhere close to either the baked martinis/poppers or the fried olives. They are okay but I wouldn't recommend them.

My personal favorite appetizers are mushroom tarts (turnovers) or sausage rolls. Both are easy to make, can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until use and can be served warm or at room temp. Both are no more than 2 bites at most and not messy to eat.

The two warm apps I like the most are the spinach-artichoke dip and the easy brie bites. The Brie is so easy and versatile it’s almost always something I use. Imuse the frozen phyllo cups, then you can top the brie squares with almost any preserve or jam (I enjoy fig, apricot, or cranberry-cherry I found at Whole Foods this year). Stuffed Mushrooms take a little longer but can easily be prepped ahead and baked just before serving.

If you want to serve something more substantial, turkey, pork tenderloin or roast beef sliders are always a hit, or if you prefer, ham. I’m just not a fan of ham personally.

Lynn's feta, honey and pistachio bites are something i will also try.

Also, our local pizza joint makes what they call "cheese bread" which is basically pizza dough covered with cheese and baked and cut into strips. So delish. And their broccoli bread is excellent too. So sometimes, if you want to have good appetizers without the work, check a local restaurant...

These are good but do take a little more time.

Mexican Tartlets

3/4 lb. mild and/or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup salsa (not chunky style)
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles, drained
1/2 cup shredded Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Olive oil
24 purchased wonton wrappers
Sour cream
Finely chopped green onion
Sliced olives
Shredded cheese
Chopped cilantro

Cook sausage in heavy skillet until no longer pink, breaking up with fork. Add garlic and saute for 2 or 3 more minutes. Drain off fat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add salsa, cheeses, and chiles to skillet; simmer until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 375. Brush mini-muffin pan with olive oil. Press a wonton wrapper into each muffin cup (wrappers will extend beyond tops of cups). Fill each wonton wrapper with a generous tablespoon of the sausage mixture. Bake until wrapper edges begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Maintain oven temp.

Transfer pastries from muffin tin to cookie sheet. Bake until bottoms are crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to platter. Top with dollop of sour cream, chopped green onion, cilantro, cheese, sliced olives, and/or whatever else you might like.

I've enjoyed these too... chili con queso bites

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chili-con-queso-bites-1970538

When I make olive poppers I also make some with whole pecans instead of olives. Years ago I found the recipe on the Cooking forum here. They were called Weed's Surprise Cheese Balls.

Weed's Famous Surprise Cheese Balls

2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 small jar pimento stuffed olives

Sift dry ingredients together. Add softened butter and cheese. (use hands to mix)

Take about 1 tsp of dough and flatten. Put an olive in the middle and wrap dough around it, then roll to make a ball.

Place on parchment covered sheet pan.

Put tray of olives in freezer until firm.

Bake 15 minutes in 400 degree oven.

I asked my friends and they can't eat green bell peppers. So, thinking of doing the bacon bites. Will save the other recipes for another game night. Thanks everyone!

Frozen dumplings from BJ’s and Sam‘s.

Deviled eggs seem popular.

I have not tried this, but it just popped up on my Pinterest feed and I thought it was so beautiful that others might be interested in it. Decorated goat cheese logs

Scallops Wrapped in Bacon

Honey Old Bay Chicken Wings

Lime Chicken Wings

Artichoke Bruschetta

Lollipops Lamb Chops

Spring Rolls

Caprese Sutffed Mushrooms

I realize I'm popping the thread back up, but I remembered something that I had, and found it in my hard copy notebook:

LOOKING FOR: Appetizer recipes!

It's from the cooking forum in 2006

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2566364/looking-for-appetizer-recipes

I made this appetizer last night once again as the side for my homemade soup. So easy and so delicious, IMO! Just slice and lightly toast thin slices of a small baguette. Next, spread with a thin layer of fig jam. Next, add a dollop of ricotta and top with a roll or “flower” of prosciutto. Pop into a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh arugula, if desired, and serve. Ahhhh!

It's from the cooking forum in 2006

That was a blast from the past! I saw Weed's Surprise Cheese Balls there.